Crain's New York Business articles from December 2003

Crain's New York Business archives from December 2003

Government Alert: Council hears complaints about bidding; Snapple unfairly chosen as NY drink, say vendors; one backer picks Spitzer.(Briefs)(Snapple, debate over official drink of New York City)
December 1, 2003... The city council's finance and Contracts committees will hold a joint session Tuesday to hear from disgruntled vendors that believe they were unfairly shut out of the bidding that made Snapple the official drink of New York City. The...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Lower Manhattan Development Corp.)
December 1, 2003... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli and denise southwood This Week's Events December 2. Crain's New York Business holds breakfast forum with Kevin Rampe of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Grand Hyatt Hotel, Grand...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)(investment banking services group)
December 1, 2003... Byline: jeanne gillespie, adrianne pasquarelli & denise southwood ACCOUNTING & CONSULTING Crossroads: Kaukab Chaudhry, 47, joined as a principal and leader of the investment banking services group for the consulting firm. He was...

Schumer will discuss national, local issues; CRAIN'S FORUM, DEC. 16.(Real Estate)(Sen. Charles Schumer)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Sen. Charles Schumer, the state's senior senator, will discuss national and local issues at the Crain's New York Business forum scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16. The Schumer forum will be held at the Sheraton New York, 811 Seventh Ave. It...

Live concerts' revival brings musical cheers; Top tours win more ticket buyers, but acts rocking their world are aging.(News)(Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel)
December 1, 2003... Byline: valerie block Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are back on the road with a three-month series of sold-out shows. Billy Joel and Elton John topped the charts again-in live tours, that is. Even newcomer John Mayer drew a sell-out crowd...

The Best of Bob Lape.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Restaurant Review)
December 1, 2003... Stresa East (3) 7940 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury, L.I. (516) 364-1565. Long Island's top Italian hosts make everyone feel special, serving classic cuisine in elegant surroundings, with a side order of real value to go with the quality. ...

Region's top VC-funded startups.(Special Report: Technology)(startup technology companies)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The importance of startup technology companies to the local economy has never been greater. In recognition of their significance, Crain's New York Business chose five of the most promising venture capital-backed companies in the New York City...

New York, New York.(Briefs)(Biltmore Room, new restaurant in Chelsea)
December 1, 2003... Byline: edited by Emily DeNitto Restaurateurs have plates full The Biltmore Room, a 7-week-old restaurant in Chelsea, evokes a retro feeling with its interior of marble, mirrors and chandeliers. But there is nothing retro about the...

Spotlight; Special Report: Technology.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Byline: composite image/buck ennis The sky's the limit: (From left) Kurt Cavano, Don Beeler, Louis Kanganis and Ajei Gopal head a collection of stellar venture capital-funded technology startups. Their companies are among five rising stars...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Commerce Bank to add 18 branches in New York City)
December 1, 2003... Commerce to add 18 New York branches cherry hill, n.j.-based Commerce Bank will add about 18 branches next year in New York City, says David Slackman, the bank's Manhattan market president. The branches will be scattered throughout the...

Agency approves incentives for 11 local manufacturers; Companies include art importer, auto parts firm; 178 new jobs possible.(Real Estate)(Industrial Development Agency provides financial assistance)
December 1, 2003... Byline: catherine tymkiw New York City's Industrial Development Agency last week gave preliminary approval for financial assistance to 11 city-based manufacturers. The boost, in the form of up to a total of $26.5 million in tax-exempt...

Virtual tour, real cure; 9/11 post-traumatic stress therapy breaks ground.(News)(virtual reality therapy)
December 1, 2003... Byline: samantha marshall Tears streamed out from under bulky virtual reality goggles as Charlice Noble-Jones recounted the day she emerged from a downtown subway station and saw a plane crash into the World Trade Center. After...

venture capital advisory panel.(Special Report: Technology)(new managing director at Warburg Pincus)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Cary J. Davis is a managing director at Warburg Pincus. He has been involved in numerous VC deals and currently serves on the board of TradeCard, among others. Previously he was executive assistant to Michael Dell at Dell Computer. ...

Comparing New York to other global cities; SYmpOSIUM, DEC. 5.(Profiles)(symposium on future of New York City )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The steven l. newman real estate institute will sponsor a symposium on the future of New York and other global cities on Friday, Dec. 5. Planning experts will discuss regionalism, demographics, infrastructure, security and the way New York...

New Executive: Breaking online records; The Orchard's head is seeding the Web with the music of independent artists.(Profiles)
December 1, 2003... Byline: anita jain For greg scholl, the invitation to head up Orchard Global Media Group was music to his ears. Mr. Scholl, who has built his own stereo, played electric guitar in a band and collected a dozen acoustic guitars, didn't think...

Grille maker modernizes, nails down a market niche; Machinery speeds production, allows B'klyn firm to grow.(Special Report: Technology)(Brooklyn metalworking company)
December 1, 2003... Byline: shira j. boss Anthony giumenta has brought his father's Brooklyn metalworking company a long way from the 10-man workshop it was when he took over in 1985. From his office window, he can peer down on a well-ordered factory...

Working out the WFP.(Viewpoint)(Working Families Party)
December 1, 2003... Byline: Alair Townsend I know people who believe that their hands will fall off if they pull the Republican lever in the voting booth. For them, the Liberal Party line was a godsend. They could vote for Rudy Giuliani without guilt. ...

Residential conversions moving out of downtown; Owners build more units in garment district, Chelsea as office market lags.(Real Estate)
December 1, 2003... Byline: christine haughney For 77 years, the wedding cake-shaped tower at 315 W. 36th St. welcomed all kinds of tenants, from button makers to Teach for America administrators. But in recent years it has grown more difficult to fill the...

Americans lost in Neverland as danger looms overseas.(Viewpoint)(Michael Jackson sought by police)
December 1, 2003... Byline: James Brady The Daily News got it right with its one-word front-page headline: "BASTARDS!'' A couple of GIs were ambushed in Iraq, stoned, pulled from their Hummer, and had their throats cut, as local teens amused themselves by...

New chef's fresh outlook buffs Scotto family gem; Updated dishes, 10 years' worth of charm at Fresco by Scotto; a sucker for tentacles.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(family restaurant's 10th anniversary)
December 1, 2003... Byline: bob lape When marion scotto looks up from her hospitality podium and spots one of the legion of regulars arriving at Fresco by Scotto, her smile warms the entire East Side. The Scotto family restaurant inspired by Mrs. Scotto...

Lease renewal is central to future of Citigroup; Consumer banking maintains East 53rd address; women's clinic makes move.(Real Estate)(Citigroup Inc. signs 12-year lease)
December 1, 2003... Byline: lisa fickenscher Citigroup weighed its options for a year, considered its numerous New York City locations and decided to stay put. Instead of moving two floors of its consumer bank group from the Citigroup Center, Citigroup...

Only one but on smoking ban.(Viewpoint)(restaurant industry backs ban)
December 1, 2003... It's time to blow through the haze of misinformation surrounding the city's tough new smoking law. Eight months since it became illegal to smoke in any New York workplace, even restaurants and bars, a few things are clear: * The restaurant...

NY online retailers click as shoppers boost buying; Consumers adopt 2-pronged approach to holiday buying; 21% gain predicted.(News)(purchases on the Internet)
December 1, 2003... Byline: anita jain Last week, Susan Riordan kicked off her holiday shopping by taking her 7-year-old son to the toy store. He looked over the selections, tested them out and quickly whipped together his wish list. Back at home, the...

Handcrafting success.(Special Report: Technology)(specialized manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... For small, specialized manufacturers, automation is not the only route to success. Another grillwork firm, 58-year-old Register & Grille Manufacturing Co., has prospered by holding on to its tradition of handcraftsmanship and making that...

Free two-week trial of daily Health Pulse; FAX OFFER.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Crain's new york business offers free two-week trial subscriptions to its daily Crain's Health Pulse fax. The Pulse fax covers the business of health care, supplying information on mergers, contracts, executive appointments, regulatory actions...

Reprints of Crain's stories.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Crain's offers reprints of its published articles. Please contact Erica Montgomery at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 142, or e-mail her at emonty@rmsreprints.com. Readers making their own reprints or posting a story on...

Lawyers unleash mutual fund suits; 27 firms file against 10 funds; some experts see $1 billion in payouts.(News)(mutual fund scandal)
December 1, 2003... Byline: aaron elstein Ever since the mutual fund scandal surfaced three months ago, money management firms accused of wrongdoing have tried to make amends. They've fired senior executives, pledged to change their business practices and...

Stock Watch: Thrift purchase lights fire under Astoria's shares; Hot firm seen as next target; timing is key.(Stocks)(Staten Island Bancorp sold to Independence Community Bank Corp.)
December 1, 2003... Byline: jacqueline s. gold Last week's $1.4 billion deal to purchase Staten Island Bancorp has made shares of another big New York area thrift, Astoria Financial Corp., look mighty attractive. The $22.1 billion-asset company may not...

Guiding Seniors Over Digital Divide; City programs, corporate sponsors ease older users onto the Net, opening a fast-growing market.(Special Report: Technology)
December 1, 2003... Byline: matthew flamm Last spring, when 69-year-old Rachel Pasquale was planning a vacation cruise, she tried something she had never done before: She found a travel site on the Internet and, after canceling the cruise she had arranged...

Sidewalk sheds extend stays; Lax enforcement angers restaurateurs.(News)(Park Avenue Country Club restaurant)
December 1, 2003... Byline: anne michaud When the sidewalk sheds finally came down, people kidded Stephen Schmeelk that they could no longer locate his Park Avenue Country Club restaurant. "The shed was like a landmark,'' says Mr. Schmeelk, whose...

Memory pill a Nobel pursuit; With 2 prizewinners and tons of cash, biotechnology startup reaches Phase III.(Special Report: Technology)(Columbia University professor Dr. Eric Kandel)
December 1, 2003... Byline: judith messina It's a rare startup that can boast connections to a Nobel Prize winner-let alone to two of them. But that's the pedigree of tiny Memory Pharmaceuticals, a leader in the race to develop a "memory pill,'' one of the...

NY merchants cheer a brighter season; Consumers' optimism should boost sales of luxury items, electronics.(News)(New York city's holiday shopping season)
December 1, 2003... Byline: catherine curan With Wall Street firms expected to post record profits and the local economy finally improving, New York city's holiday shopping season looks to be the brightest since 2000. Shoppers have begun to indulge again,...

Executives will discuss city's promising sectors; ECONOMIC FORECAST, DEC. 9.(News)(Paul Charron, chief executive of Liz Claiborne)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Four well-known executives will spotlight New York's most promising sectors at the annual Crain's economic forecast breakfast on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Sheraton New York, 811 Seventh Ave., between West 52nd and and West 53rd streets. The...

Online dating network is silent matchmaker; Investors hook up with Spring Street.(Special Report: Technology)
December 1, 2003... Byline: anita jain Once or twice a week, Spring Street Networks receives a call from a venture capital investor who wants to be its partner. It's a fitting situation for the $10 million company, whose business is the Friday night date....

Navigating through global supply orders; TradeCard service cuts paperwork, provides financing.(Special Report: Technology)
December 1, 2003... Byline: tommy fernandez There may be a global high-tech economy, but importing a shipload of goods usually means slogging through a boatload of transport documents. Invoices, letters of credit and insurance forms have to be faxed back and...

Data storage accessible to anyone; NSI Software's Windows-based programs offer low-cost protection.(Special Report: Technology)
December 1, 2003... Byline: anita Jain The paranoia about keeping corporate data safe that was generated by the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and this summer's massive blackout has helped propel NSI Software into the limelight. Sales of its Windows-based software...

Providing the safety net to work without wires; Pioneer ReefEdge has LAN advantage.(Special Report: Technology)(corporate wireless local area network sector to reach $852 mn)
December 1, 2003... Byline: anita jain There may not be flying cars a la The Jetsons anytime soon, but an entirely wireless world is no longer the fantasy of sci-fi enthusiasts. The popularity of cellular phones and wireless high-speed Internet access is...

Bank America makes doing good riskier; Competition heats up in low-income housing market; margins squeezed.(News)(affordable housing in New York City)
December 1, 2003... Byline: tom fredrickson In September, Bank of America lent $20 million to the Community Preservation Corp. to finance affordable housing in New York City. That was just the start. The Charlotte, N.C.-based giant, a national leader in...

Register to access Crain's online; WWW.CRAINSNY.COM.(Workplace)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Subscribers to crain's new york business can access the last 30 days of archives, at no charge. You can also read the full print issue online starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday, a day before it hits the newsstands. All you need is a user name...

Getting caught with pants up was a Gauling experience.(Viewpoint)
December 8, 2003... Byline: James Brady The indefatigable Roger Ailes once hired me to do celebrity interviews on Power Lunch, a show that he was launching at CNBC (Fox News wasn't yet on his radar screen). For a couple of years I did my segment from a table...

Sunset Park merchants fear falling prey to street hawkers; Say they're losing business because sidewalk vendor regs are not enforced.(Real Estate)
December 8, 2003... Byline: lisa fickenscher Business owners in sunset Park, Brooklyn, have a problem with street vendors. But it has nothing to do with a vendor regulation that expired in March, which is roiling store owners in Manhattan. The Manhattan...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
December 8, 2003... The Healthcare Association of New York State, not the Greater New York Hospital Association, provided estimates of the financial impact of the recently passed Medicare law on state hospitals. The information was incorrect in a Nov. 24 article,...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
December 8, 2003... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli and denise southwood This Week's Events December 9. Crain's New York Business holds economic forecast breakfast. 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Sheraton New York, 811 Seventh Ave. Fee: $55. Preregistration...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)
December 8, 2003... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli and denise southwood ACCOUNTING & CONSULTING Anchin Block & Anchin: James A. Gammello, 49, was promoted to partner and co-chairman of the food and beverage industry services group. He was formerly partner....

Stock Watch: InterActiveCorp's stock yet to click with investors; Waiting to see how its many e-businesses gel under one roof.(Stocks)
December 8, 2003... Byline: anita jain When it comes to red-hot Internet properties, InterActiveCorp seems to own more than its fair share. Its stable includes Expedia.com, America's No. 1 travel Web site; Match.com, the most popular online singles...

At Deadline.(Late News)
December 8, 2003... J.P. Morgan pampers affluent customers j.p. morgan chase has opened a prototype deluxe branch exclusively for its "mass affluent'' clients-people with $250,000 to $10 million to invest. Located across the street from the bank's...

Javits and Jets coin toss comes down to 5 players.(West Side Controversy)(Jacob K. Javits Convention Center)
December 8, 2003... Byline: Greg David In the next month or so, two big decisions will be made about the city's economic future: whether to build a new stadium on the West Side, and whether to double the space at the nearby Jacob K. Javits Convention Center....

Telling Tales.(Small Business)
December 8, 2003... Byline: Lisa Goff Craftsman adds to his portfolio Tales of immigrants who parlay old-world craftsmanship into a small business are few and far between today. But Thomas Lombardo, founder of House of Portfolios Co. in Chelsea, is a...

Nonprofit jobs soaring; recession boosts need; Hospitals, schools, service agencies employ quarter of NYC workforce.(Economic Outlook)
December 8, 2003... Byline: tom fredrickson Employment in hospitals, social assistance agencies and schools has been growing for years. Now, after a boom in 2003 that was fueled by the city's recession, the nonprofit service sector accounts for 22% of all...

Jets asking city, state to kick in $600 million; Stadium price could keep rising.(West Side Controversy)(New York Jets stadium)
December 8, 2003... Byline: anne michaud The price tag for city and state investment in a New York Jets stadium on Manhattan's far West Side has nearly doubled to at least $600 million, and may go even higher. Jay Cross, president of the football team,...

NYC's best hopes for 2004; ECONOMIC Forecast Breakfast, Dec. 9.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Four well-known executives will spotlight New York's most promising sectors at the annual Crain's economic forecast breakfast on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Sheraton New York, 811 Seventh Ave., between West 52nd and West 53rd streets. Speakers...

BID struggles in growth mode; South Bronx's HUB-Third Avenue meets resistance on East 149th Street.(Small Business)
December 8, 2003... Byline: cara s. trager On a recent morning, when Vincent Valentino spotted a folded box leaning against a trash can, he immediately scooped it up and made a beeline to the shop whose name appeared on the shipping label. "You can get a...

Reprints of Crain's stories.(Profiles)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Crain's offers reprints of its published articles. Please contact Erica Montgomery at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 142, or e-mail her at emonty@rmsreprints.com. Readers making their own reprints or posting a story on...

Government Alert: Generator looks to spark support for plant in Queens; Astoria Energy asking for $600 million in Liberty Bonds; Brooklyn power play.(Briefs)(tax-free Liberty Bond financing)
December 8, 2003... Astoria energy today will seek $600 million in tax-free Liberty Bond financing for a new power plant in Queens at a hearing sponsored by the New York Liberty Development Corp. The $851 million plant would generate 1,000 megawatts of...

European drug strategy makes Forest stand out; Revenue triples in 5 years; does firm need to turn over leaf to stay green?(News)(Forest Laboratories Inc.)
December 8, 2003... Byline: samantha marshall After five years of dizzying gains, Forest Laboratories Inc. has become one of the few stars in an industry better known for incremental growth. Propelled by its ability to rapidly develop European drugs for...

Fraud-wary learn ropes from the pros of cons; Atoning felons hit lecture circuit to provide insights into white-collar crime.(Workplace)
December 8, 2003... Byline: tommy fernandez Sam antar always brings one central message to his audiences: Accountants can't afford to trust anyone. He should know. Mr. Antar, one of the masterminds of the $145 million Crazy Eddie stock swindle, says he...

Premium increases slowed down in 2003; Rates rose 11.7% for NY employers; survey anticipates acceleration in '04.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... New York metro area employers paid 11.7% more for health insurance for their employees in 2003, an average $6,817 per person, according to a survey released by Mercer Human Resource Consulting today. In 2004, New York employers can expect an...

Upstart firm slips into Vornado alley; Tribeca Associates offer cheap rents in Penn Station area; a CAA first.(Real Estate)
December 8, 2003... Byline: christine haughney The megalithic real estate investment trust Vornado Realty Trust owns many of the slender towers in the Penn Station neighborhood. Now, two ex-Insignia/ESG Inc. brokers want to edge their way into the market...

Crain stories available on databases; text searches.(News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Crain's is available on several electronic databases for readers wishing to locate published stories. Full text can be found on Nexis and Dialog. Dow Jones also carries full text on Dow Jones Interactive, Newsbank CD-ROM products and Profound....

A good year for hard hats spurs construction gains; Low mortgage rates fuel building; office interiors a new growth area.(Economic Outlook)
December 8, 2003... Byline: tommy fernandez New York may be known for the high finance of Wall Street, but it was the hammering of construction workers that boosted the private sector of the economy this year-and is expected to help fuel growth in 2004. ...

A rebound for the city in 2004.(Viewpoint)(economic recovery in New York City)
December 8, 2003... The economic recovery has finally landed in New York City. Barring an international crisis, next year will be better than this one. How much better looms as a very difficult question to answer. The national economy, of course, has been...

Office leasing deal info sought for Feb. 2 list.(Real Estate)(largest office leasing deals)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Costar group inc. is compiling information for its list of the largest office leasing deals in Manhattan in 2003, to be published in Crain's New York Business on Feb. 2. Brokers and others with information on transactions that could...

Growth-minded president on Historical Society timeline; Museum seeks skilled fund-raiser; book foundation pages director.(Workplace)(New York Historical Society)
December 8, 2003... Byline: jacqueline s. gold Now that prof. kenneth Jackson, renowned author of The Encyclopedia of New York City, has decided to leave his post at the New-York Historical Society, the 200-year-old organization is looking for a new president...

Vintage Biltmore Room swings to fancy fusion; A beaux arts ball of progressive American food wows, but please fix the seats.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(new restaurant)(Restaurant Review)
December 8, 2003... Byline: bob lape Gary robins, the fusion Man, is back in great form at an outstanding new restaurant that does its own decorative fusion with contemporary and vintage pizzazz. The Biltmore Room rings Chelsea's chimes, pumping up a...

Ex-dot-commers netting plum jobs; They're experienced, not tarnished.(News)(Jeff Epstein, new chief financial officer)
December 8, 2003... Byline: anita jain Global database company VNU recently hired Jeff Epstein as the chief financial officer of its second-largest division on the basis of his performance at a dot-com. In his new role, Mr. Epstein helps 11 different...

New Executive: Tables turn, in his favor; Union Square Hospitality partner takes on staff issues, easing work for chefs.(Profiles)
December 8, 2003... Byline: lisa fickenscher Paul bolles-beaven laughs about his first conversation with his boss, Danny Meyer, some 18 years ago. "I explained that my father is a priest, my father-in-law is a priest, my wife is studying to be one-and...

Yoga's new mantra; Independent studios stretch their offerings in the face of increasing competition; big new players attracted as discipline's appeal widens.(Small Business)
December 8, 2003... Byline: judith messina Cyndi lee still can't get over how much things have changed. Five years ago, she struggled to find a landlord willing to rent her 2,500 square feet of space for a new yoga studio. "Everywhere I went, they slammed...

New York, New York.(Briefs)(Restaurants and beef)
December 8, 2003... Byline: edited by Emily DeNitto Restaurants raising steaks With the price of beef rising at least 45% this year, local restaurateurs are reluctantly starting to pass the higher costs on to their customers. Manhattan's three Palm...

Last-minute holiday rush on real estate deals; Tenants, landlords complete transactions in record times; sign of a turnaround?(News)(lease negotiations)
December 8, 2003... Byline: christine haughney Real estate deals are getting done at rapid speed as the year winds down, a sign that both landlords and tenants think the market has bottomed out. Companies that used to spend 90 days on lease negotiations...

Free two-week trials of Insider; CRAIN'S fax OFFER.(Workplace)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Crain's offers free two-week trial subscriptions to the crain's insider, a daily fax covering government and political issues of importance to business executives, lobbyists and others interested in the inner workings of city and state...

the backdrop.(Economic Outlook)(New York's economy )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... As the national economy accelerates, New York's economy is just starting to improve. According to economist Barbara Denham Byrne of Jones Lang LaSalle, the city added about 25,000 jobs in September and October. The city could end the year with...

Investors buy dubious firms' stories, stock; Rising market spurs gush of attention for weak businesses with strong PR.(News)
December 8, 2003... Byline: aaron elstein In the past three months, shares of Centurion Gold Holdings Inc. have more than doubled to $3.54 a piece in the slipstream of a global gold rally that has pushed the price of the precious metal to its highest level in...

Body Shop staying, adding parts.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Not far from Sisley's new Broadway and East Eighth Street location, U.K.-based body care and makeup retailer The Body Shop has renewed its lease for an 1,150-square-foot space at 747 Broadway, one of its first stores to open in the United...

Professional services firms earn more banking interest; Heavy courting from newcomers; sneers for outsider.(Finance)
December 15, 2003... Byline: tom fredrickson Not long ago, aurora Cassirer, a partner in the New York office of law firm Jenkens & Gilchrist Parker Chapin, used to have few chances to meet with bankers. Once in a while, Citigroup or J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.,...

2003 leasing information sought for Feb. 2 list; TOP OFFICE DEALS.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Costar group inc. is compiling information for its list of the largest office leasing deals in Manhattan in 2003, to be published in Crain's New York Business on Feb. 2. Brokers and others with information on transactions that could...

The Chinese puzzle; City tries to beat smoldering Asian smoking crisis.(News)
December 15, 2003... Byline: samantha marshall Buying his first pack of cigarettes from a shop in his hometown of Xian, China, seemed natural to junior high schooler Yu Ping An, whose earliest memories of his birthplace are enshrouded in a cloud of smoke....

Tourist-mad cities blitz NY with new ads; Times Square plays key role.(News)(marketing campaigns)
December 15, 2003... Byline: lisa fickenscher A new form of high-stakes urban warfare is breaking out in Manhattan as states and cities from around the world launch marketing campaigns here designed to lure visitors to their doorsteps. In Times Square, the...

Pent-up Carlyle rises to penthouse; Private equity firm from D.C. adds sublet space on East Side; HHC fills Water gap.(Real Estate)
December 15, 2003... Byline: christine haughney The carlyle group, which has a roster of advisers that ranges from statesman James A. Baker III to jailed Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, is expanding in Manhattan. The Washington, D.C.-based private equity...

Gael Greene is a glory of NY, both the magazine and city.(Viewpoint)(editor of New York magazine)
December 15, 2003... Byline: James Brady For one giddy, rather wonderful year, I was the editor of New York magazine, succeeding Clay Felker following Rupert Murdoch's purchase of the weekly from a board of of directors feuding with Clay. One of the...

Fashion district eatery dresses up down-home fare; Ida Mae's inspired Southern gets a big-city spin; busy staff could use help.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Restaurant Review)
December 15, 2003... Byline: bob lape Once you get past the misleading name and front doors that take more oomph to open than it does to play a tuba solo, Ida Mae Kitchen-n-Lounge is a revelation. Chef/co-owner Kenneth Collins offers titular tribute to the...

Transit plans head for a crash.(Viewpoint)(Second Avenue subway plan)
December 15, 2003... New Yorkers are compiling a list of transit projects of enormous scope and cost. There is no consensus over priorities, and that's sure to fuel anti-New York sentiment in Congress. Someone needs to take charge here. The length of the list...

Sisley makes push to expand into fashion consciousness; Benetton's trendier clothing sister makes a move on 3 Manhattan spots.(Real Estate)
December 15, 2003... Byline: catherine curan Sisley, the trendy women's and menswear brand that's part of Benetton Group, is stepping up its Manhattan presence with three new locations. The chain already has a store in Manhattan at Fifth Avenue and East...

Economic surge rebuilds altar of public offerings; Investors worship anew as December brings flock of deals; Google in the wings.(Finance)
December 15, 2003... Byline: aaron elstein Some 200 people turned up at the Four Seasons Hotel in midtown last week to hear the pitch for an initial public offering of shares in International Steel Group Inc., a company forged by financier Wilbur Ross. The...

Cutting-edge pictures of health.(News)(MRI scanners)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) An MRI scanner uses a powerful magnet to cause the hydrogen atoms in the body to give off a signal. MRI scanners are used to view soft tissue and can "see'' through bone. What's new: MRI scanners with...